We were lucky to catch up with Sephanie Coutoulakis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sephanie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
I think everyone’s definition of success is different. For me, success takes a lot of patience, learning and support. In any industry with children and athletics, success means happy, strong, safe and healthy kids first and foremost. So if we can provide a platform for young girls to learn confidence, pride, teamwork, hard work and perseverance than we are successful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Premier Championships started during the pandemic. We saw competitions and events being shut down and we couldn’t sit by and let down these athletes that work so hard. So we made Premier and put on our first outdoor competition in Tampa. We ran a successful competition amid a pandemic, and did it safely. From there, we expanded to a small boutique style gym where we also train our own teams to Compete with other independent producers in the industry. We have joined with a great series of producers, Open Championships, who are fighting for equality and fairness throughout the cheer industry. Our events are inclusive of all gyms regardless of size and skills, and our home base gym provides a safe space for young girls to learn the sport and thrive. We embrace the differences, struggles and success of each child and give them the tools to win on the mat and in life.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When COVID 19 hit, just like most people, I found myself having to make some big decisions in my personal and professional life. I left my job of over 13 years and moved across the state. I was unemployed and quite frankly, unsure of what was next for me. When I saw the need for change and the opportunity to make a small impact in the cheer world, I leaped. I had no savings, no real plan but I had a lot of ideas and a lot of support and pushed until I had no other choice but to be where I am today. I still have so much to learn, but I feel the best way to learn things is by trial and error and just going for it!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Word of mouth 10000%- happy kids mean happy parents.. which means friends want to join! Also,’of course, results. Social media has allowed me to showcase what we do here. Though we may be small, or the new kids on the block, our happy kids and returning customers are what bring people in.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.premierchampionships.org
• Instagram: @premier_cheer_fl @premier_championships
• Facebook: Facebook.com/premierchampionshipsfl Facebook.com/premiercheerfl